Interesting Facts about the Horned Lark

The horned lark is a songbird that lives in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They are ground foragers that eat seeds and insects. Horned larks are social birds that live in flocks. The horned lark prefers open country or grassland habitats. It is brown in color with a yellow face. It also has a black mask and tiny black horn-like feathers. The horned lark grows from 6.3 to 7.9 inches in length, has a wingspan from 11.8 to 13.4 inches, and weighs from 1 to 1.7 ounces.

Did you know?

Female horned larks build their nests on the ground.

There is an estimated global breeding population of 120 million horned larks.

The horned lark is not threatened.

The longest lifespan on record was 7 years, 11 months.

The horned lark is also known as a shore lark.

The horned lark has a resident to short-distance migration. They travel south in the winter months from the northern parts of North America to the United States.

Lesson plan note: Play bird sounds for your children to listen to. You can purchase recordings or search the internet for bird songs. Then, have each child try to duplicate the sounds that they hear. Notice how different species have differing vocalizations. Discuss the importance of the bird song.